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Maharashtra Records 29 Earthquakes in 16 Days: Nashik-Palghar Swarm, Seismic Zone III Key for Exams

Target:MPSCUPSC GS-ISSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
16 Aug 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:29 tremors (July 30-August 14)24 tremors in Nashik4 tremors in Palghar1 tremor in NagpurMagnitude range 2-4.3Depth range 5-8 km
Bodies:IIT BombayState Disaster Management Authority (Maharashtra)
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.At least 29 tremors hit Maharashtra between July 30 and August 14, 2026: 24 in Nashik, 4 in Palghar and 1 in Nagpur, with magnitudes from 2 to 4.3 and depths of 5-8 km.

2.Experts describe this as an 'earthquake swarm' - a cluster of shallow quakes in a localised area, not a typical mainshock-aftershock sequence.

3.For exams, remember the scientific trigger: hydro-seismicity in Deccan Plateau basaltic rock during monsoon, and the Seismic Zone III classification under IS 1893 (Part 1).

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

Maharashtra has recorded at least 29 tremors in 16 days (July 30-August 14), with 24 around Nashik and 4 in Palghar - a pattern experts call an 'earthquake swarm'. For exams, this connects to hydro-seismicity in the Deccan Plateau, Seismic Zone III classification under IS 1893, and disaster-resilient infrastructure standards.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Total tremors29 (July 30-August 14)
Nashik tremors24
Palghar tremors4
Nagpur tremors1
Magnitude range2 to 4.3
Depth range5-8 km
Largest tremor4.3 in Nashik on August 8 (5 km depth)
Past swarmsPalghar - Sep 2023, Feb 2019
Seismic zoneZone III under IS 1893 (Part 1)
Likely causeHydro-seismicity in Deccan Plateau basaltic rock

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Total tremors: 29 (July 30-August 14)
  • ›Nashik tremors: 24
  • ›Target this Data: 29 tremors in Maharashtra (July 30-August 14); 24 in Nashik, 4 in Palghar, 1 in Nagpur; magnitude 2-4.3; depth 5-8 km.
  • ›Target this Organization: IIT Bombay professor Deepankar Choudhury is chairman of Maharashtra's technical advisory committee on disaster resilience and capacity building and a member of the State Disaster Management Authority.
  • ›Target this Standard: IS 1893 (Part 1) classifies Nashik and Palghar under Seismic Zone III - moderate earthquake risk.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Professor Deepankar Choudhury, quoted in the article on Maharashtra earthquakes, is a professor at which institution?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding earthquake swarms:

1. An earthquake swarm is a series of small earthquakes occurring in a localised area over a short period, often without a dominant mainshock followed by aftershocks.

2. Earthquake swarms in the Deccan Plateau are caused by the movement of tectonic plates along major plate boundaries.

3. Palghar witnessed a similar series of earthquakes in September 2023 and another swarm in February 2019.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, how many tremors were recorded in Maharashtra between July 30 and August 14?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

Why are the shallow earthquake swarms in Nashik unlikely to have a major impact on faraway cities like Mumbai?

All 15 MCQs ▸
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